Case Studies
Leanne Sandmeyer
Customer Testimonial Responses – October 2020
When I first started having trouble sleeping a few years ago, as a professionally trained nurse, I knew the best course of action was to contact my primary care provider and get a sleep study scheduled as soon as possible. It came as no surprise that I had sleep apnea, what was concerning was the fact that I was having 20 to 50 events per hour, and at times during the night stopped completely breathing altogether.
My husband had been previously diagnosed with sleep apnea and had been using a CPAP machine for about 15 years. I was aware of his issues of using the equipment and was worried I wouldn’t be very comfortable and would never sleep well again after also being diagnosed.
Men and women have different needs when it comes to their CPAP equipment, and the thought of wearing a full-face mask just seemed unbearable to me. Fortunately, I was prescribed a nasal mask and a very cool looking machine, so I was hopeful that it could help me.
When I went met with the technician to be shown how to use the equipment it was a nightmare. While it may have been his first week on the job, it was clear no one had properly trained him what to do, so he essentially handed me the equipment and wished me well.
Here I had just paid $500 out of my own pocket to be given a device that didn’t fit me properly, not sure how it even worked or what I needed to do to keep it in proper working order. For me, my nurse skills kick-in and I was able to figure out some of it on my own, but I also get some help on internet by watching a few LankyLefty videos.
What I realized pretty quickly, is that starting with a CPAP machine isn’t the easiest thing to do, and for women, we have different issues than men and the equipment isn’t really designed with our interests in mind. For instance, our hair, many women have a fair amount of it and mask straps tend to slide during the night because of it. So even when I tried to tie it up, it still got in the way. If I could get 5 hours of sleep a night, I was ecstatic, because the mask would slip off during the night several times and I would replace it and try to fall back asleep.
Shortly after starting the CPAP therapy, I was very discouraged and knew that if I truly wanted some kind of relief, surgery was certainly another option.
But as a nurse, I also knew that surgery to correct my disorder could result in me needing additional surgeries at a later date and really should only be considered as a path of last resort.
So, I kept trying other masks to find something that actually worked, fortunately I was able to keep buying other products, but not everyone can afford to purchase an assortment of masks and keep throwing them in the trash. That’s what I did for almost a year and then I came across some information on the Internet about a company creating a mask-free solution called Bleep. So, I called the CEO, Stuart Heatherington, and to my surprise he actually answered the phone.
We talked about his innovation and how it was still in the development stage, but he promised to keep me in the loop. As I hung up the phone, I really hoped Stuart was going to make my dreams come true, because I was not finding anything that could actually help me sleep better.
Soon enough, Stuart shipped my first set of DreamPorts® to try, and after a few slight modifications to customize the fit, I was ready to give it a go. That night I slept ten hours straight, never waking to adjust or remove my mask like I did with other products. I shared my experience with Stuart and a few suggestions on how to make it even more fabulous and he promised to keep working at it. From that day on I was a loyal DreamPort® user.
What I loved about the DreamPorts® was the simplicity of the product. I travel a fair amount and I don’t need to pack a lot of equipment to sleep peacefully while on the road. Also, because of the disposal design of the nasal connections cleaning the product is relatively simple and hassle-free. Given the pandemic and concern about keeping things germ-free, the design of the DreamPorts® alleviates any major concerns. Take it from a nurse, trying to disinfect your traditional CPAP mask isn’t as easy as one would think.
Simplicity of use and easy-to-clean is what makes DreamPorts® such an easy choice, because at the end of the day, we all need a good night’s sleep.
Any medical professional will strongly recommend getting a proper amount of sleep every night. It helps the body recover from the day’s activities, it alleviates stress and provides a host of other benefits.
I have also seen many patients that suffer from heart disease who also have poor sleep patterns and one of the first things I suggest is for them to schedule a sleep study to see if they may be a CPAP candidate. In many cases, they don’t even realize they are not sleeping because they have been suffering for so long and believe it is related to their heart condition. After a proper diagnosis and getting a CPAP machine they start to sleep better, and their cardiac function also improves. In addition, they will sometimes see shortness of breath, cholesterol and other related ailments improve over time.
The DreamPort® solution can improve your overall health, because you stay 100% compliant. You keep the mask-free solution on all night and sleep, which translates into better health. It’s really that simple, the minute I started using it, I felt better and I slept for about 7.5 hours per night. Prior to this, I would remove my mask and it would be laying on the floor in the morning.
This product works and I tell some of my patients that are struggling with their CPAP equipment to give this a try, because it works so well. If people knew how well it worked, they would immediately make the switch.
Now I realize one solution won’t work for everyone, but I believe the DreamPort® solution is best for women or men that struggle with wearing a mask.
For women, with hair the straps can slip during the night or the creams we put on our face before bed may prevent the mask from making a tight seal, these are no longer an issue with a DreamPort®.
For men, if you have problems with wearing a mask because of your facial hair, or don’t love your morning strap lines, are worried about losing more hair because of the straps, or just don’t like the feeling of being strapped down all night, then you need to try this product. My husband has a mask and it can take an hour or more before his strap lines fully disappear, who wants to worry about that every day.
Right now, many of us get up and need to wear a mask for a portion of the day to avoid getting sick, who wants to get into bed and put another mask on to sleep at night…seriously think about that. Go to bleepsleep.com and get yourself some DreamPorts®.
Trina
Scoliosis Customer Case Study – 2020
My name is Trina and I have sleep apnea and also deal with complications associated with scoliosis. Finding a CPAP solution that not only helped me improve the quality of my sleep, but also address some of the issues associated with my scoliosis proved to be very difficult.
To sleep the best at night, I need a high pressure setting for my CPAP, which requires the neck strap on the mask to be very tight. This would lead to significant neck discomfort and aggravate symptoms related to my scoliosis.
I tried several different masks and none of them offered any relief, most nights I would remove the mask and try to sleep without the CPAP. My chiropractor encouraged me to find something other than a mask, but there was nothing available.
Then I came across the DreamPort® solution on a Facebook page and I immediately called my CPAP supplier and they had never heard of the solution. I found it online and ordered it right away with express shipping.
The first night I used the DreamPort® my AHI was 0.3! Since then, I track my sleep pattern and I have seen a significant improvement since using the Bleep product.
This is a brilliant idea and offers so many different ways to sleep comfortably. A strap-free solution is the biggest difference. My husband is telling people at work about the product and how it has helped me.
It’s just amazing, I don’t know why it has taken so long for someone to create this product, it’s just brilliant.
I’m waking up earlier, before my alarm, and feeling fully rested. I look at my numbers and know I’ve had a great night’s sleep.
Randy Kantack
Customer Testimonial Responses – July 2023
My bleeping story
There are moments in history that change everything for you. My struggles with my CPAP mask has just had one. Every night I would struggle with my sleep mask slipping and leaking. It was a nighty fight trying to adjust my mask. Many nights I would give up in the middle of the night. Why suffocate myself tightening my mask only to have it leak again and again. I hated my sleep apnea gear! Searching YouTube for better nights sleep, I found this bleeping thing!
I went ahead and ordered it. I am so glad I did. The mask is so light you sometimes don’t even feel it on. It is easy to take off and pop right back on. The nose gear otherwise called Halos are like manna from heaven. As long as you place them on positioned properly they combine with the magnetic making for a perfect seal. It takes a couple of minutes prior to bed to prep your face each night.
My Resmed scores shot up like a SpaceX rocket from 60’s to upper 90 and 100! Nightly sleep events without mask 25-30 dropped to .7 per hour. Best of all I now get that good night sleep that I hadn’t been getting. Now I even kind of look forward to going to bed to get that wonderful sealing flow of air gently put me to sleep. There are no straps to fight with. I consulted a surgeon for possible Inspire surgery last month. That idea has been eclipsed after discovering this thing. I consider the Bleep Eclipse the Tesla of sleep masks. Watch out CPAP industry!
David Margulies
Customer Testimonial Responses – January 2024
I should have realized that I had clinically important obstructive sleep apnea years ago. My wife complained about my snoring. I would, occasionally, awaken abruptly with the feeling of suffocation. I had seen my father fall asleep in his chair, gasp for air, and snore like a locomotive. I’m a 72-year-old physician/scientist trained in internal medicine and a retired member of the faculty of the Harvard Medical School. I really should have self-diagnosed years ago.
About five years ago, I developed persistent atrial fibrillation. I tolerated a-fib poorly. Although I was an athlete when young, I had quite limited exercise tolerance while in a-fib. I felt like an old man. Although I was converted to a normal rhythm by DC cardioversion, I quickly relapsed into persisted a-fib. Late in 2019, I underwent an invasive procedure (pulmonary venous catheter ablation). The procedure was successful; my cardiologist suggested a sleep study, since obstructive sleep apnea is a strong contributory factor in cardiac disease. My sleep study was, unsurprisingly, strongly positive. CPAP was essential.
I began CPAP and monitored my statistics religiously, including all-night oximetry every night. With a full face mask or nasal pillow mask, my AHI was not adequately corrected. Additionally, it was really difficult to acclimate to the discomfort of these masks. Fortunately, I found the original BLEEP device fairly quickly. Interactions with Stuart Heatherington were very helpful, and in no time, I became a committed user of Bleep devices. The arrival of the Eclipse model made therapy compliance even easier.
In the +/-3.5 years since I began using Bleep masks, my AHI averages ~1.5. My oximetry is perfect. Chronic sleep apnea had led to a component of central apnea; this is now fully corrected. As a result of a successful procedure to disrupt the atrial fibrillation pattern and absolute adherence to CPAP enabled by Bleep devices, I’m in excellent health and capable of serious aerobic exercise.
Lessons:
1. OSA is a bad disorder. It is a real cause of preventable heart disease. Even so, it isn’t fun to confront that CPAP is a rest-of-life requirement.
2. The Bleep Eclipse devices are the most comfortable and sustainable approach to CPAP. A few minutes of effort each evening enables uninterrupted and safe sleep. With some effort, one can have virtually normal sleep notwithstanding CPAP therapy.
3. Measuring your own data is important to see if therapy is working. Good numbers are a reinforcement of compliance. Anyone can learn to monitor their own response to CPAP.
4. The committed and personal support of Stuart and the Bleep team is quite helpful as you enter the world of rest-of-life CPAP. Thank you, Stuart.
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